COMMERCE 2BC3 Lecture 31: Week 11 – Workplace Health and Safety
1 Nov 2016
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Document Summary
Why should employers be concerned about health & safety: moral and social concerns, costs of accidents and illnesses, liability, labour unions, public relations (media reporting, employee attitudes. Moral and social concerns: direct effects (reported & unreported) Indirect effects: at least 600 canadians (almost 2 per day) die each year from occupational diseases (cancer and other diseases resulting from exposure to asbestos, and other toxins at work) Risk of injury declines with age (younger workers are more likely to be injured most often machine injuries and electrocution) Older workers are more likely to become ill or die from long-term exposure to health hazards. Shift work and longer hours of work are associated with higher likelihood of injury. Smokers are more likely to be injured on the job than non-smokers (the injury rate is almost double) The cost of workplace injuries are estimated at billion a year, likely an underestimate.
